Page:The history of yachting.djvu/275

Rh termed it. It worked vertically through a trunk, or well, and the keel of the boat, thus embodying the principle of the Balsa and lee-board of Holland.

An illustration of Captain Schank's first boat with a sliding keel is here given; taken from Charnock's History of Marine Architecture, published in 1802. Captain Schank's invention was not adopted in America; and more than a third of a century elapsed before the centre-board was devised.



In the year 1776 a series of troubles, growing out of unjust taxation and other causes, culminated and resulted in thirteen of Great Britain's most prosperous colonies declaring their independence of the Mother Country, and founding the United States of America.

It is a matter of history that the rule of Great Britain over her American colonies was oppressive and at the same time weak, without being conciliatory; the loyalty and affection of the colonists therefore naturally changed into feelings of anger and revolt. And yet, when the last act of injustice had been committed, when the last bitter word had been spoken, and the last venomous drop of ink had stained the page of history, when the last gun had been fired, and the white stars of hope and